He is TV’s King of Hollywood, the actor-turned-reporter who has interviewed some of the greatest stars in Tinsletown - and become pals with many more.

Ross King is the envy of of his fellow showbiz hacks, winning the trust of even the most publicity-phobic megastars and getting the exclusives his rivals would grovel for.

But now some members of the bitchy, back-stabbing LA press pack are secretly hoping Ross will get cold-shouldered on the red carpet at the Oscars, A-list parties and movie premieres. For the trusted insider has decided to lift the lid on the liposuctioned underbelly of life in La La Land, in a new book packed with sex, scandal and dark secrets.

“Taking Hollywood” comes out on Thursday but Ross, 52, has been getting the third degree from his famous pals since they realised he was putting pen to paper.

“I’ve had people coming up asking ‘So, am I in this book?’,” explains Ross. “They’re all fascinated to hear about it... and then nonchalantly slip in ‘You remember the time THAT happened to me... um, are you using that in the book?’

“My answer to all of them is ‘You’ll just have to wait and see!’”

Xposure

Catherine Zeta Jones and Ross King

Before any agents start panicking, it’s only fair to point out this is actually a novel which Ross has penned with his journalist pal and author Shari Low, under the joint name Shari King.

But is it based on the scandalous tales Glasgow-born Ross has unearthed in his 14 years reporting Hollywood?

Oh, go on Ross... just give me a clue! Who inspired the ruthless reality TV mogul who orders a young star to fake an overdose to boost ratings. Or what about the handsome leading man on another stint in rehab who falls for the underage daughter of an old flame?

Ross just smiles enigmatically.

“I wanted to pull the curtain back a bit – but not all the way back. I want to show how Hollywood’s ‘smoke and mirrors’ illusion works and explain what goes on but not shatter people’s illusions completely.

“Reality shows aren’t real – they are the most unreal thing on TV - but people buy-in to the illusion.

“I don’t hate those shows - I watch them as a punter like everyone else and I completely understand the public’s fascination with them.”

Ross has won four News Emmy awards for his entertainment reporting on US channels and is a much loved face on shows in Australia and across Europe.

British viewers currently enjoy his dispatches and interviews on Good Morning Britain and Lorraine.

But he has worked in the business since the age of 15 - starting out as a tea boy on Radio Clyde in Scotland before becoming a presenter and moving on to TV hosting quiz shows, documentaries, chat shows and hosting the BBC’s lunchtime magazine programme Pebble Mill.

He also did his time in musical theatre and panto and, after moving to the States with his first wife, Charley, in 2000 he landed a series of movie roles.

So Ross, who divorced in 2003 and is now engaged to actress, writer and TV producer Brianna Deutsch, 34, has been on both sides of the red carpet in Hollywood - and that unique perspective has made Taking Hollywood a rollicking good read.

“I love my work and I think I’ve got the best of both worlds,” he says. “Having been an actor too I do have a real empathy with the stars and know what they go through. But I’m not a luvvie by any means. I’m a journalist.

“I don’t ever feel I’m part of the celebrity scene - I’m an outsider looking in. But Brianna and I can dip in and go to the great parties.

“The night before the Oscars Gary Barlow invited us to one with Oprah, Prince, Meryl Streep – all fancy drinks and food. But then you go home and have a cup of tea and the next day I’m outside the ceremony on the other side of the fence and trying to grab the celebs as they go down the red carpet.

Ross King interviewing Oscar nominee Sandra Bullock

“I love L.A – always did. I don’t find it false like some people do. LA is whatever you want it to be, a land of opportunity, what you want to make it.

“It’s full of silly people and overachievers – and that’s me.

“It was hard work when we moved out here. Charley got a part in the movie Chicago then went to Broadway in The Producers, followed by a year-long tour.

“That’s not good for a marriage and when we split up I wondered if I’d made the worse decision of my life. But I’ve always been a ‘glass half full’ person, so I pulled myself together and went at it with renewed vim and vigour.”

His honest, up-front approach goes down a storm in sycophantic LA - but he will never break a confidence and has gained the trust and friendship of many celebs. But he still has to pinch himself occasionally.

“I was due to interview Delta Goodrem once and they couldn’t decide where to do it - so I told them just to come to my place and Delta sat there playing my piano. Another time I was to interview Michael Douglas and we decided he and Catherine would just stay with me and do the chat from my house.

“So we were doing a bit of filming when the Fed Ex guy recognised me from Channel 5” says Ross, who is the entertainment anchor on the US channel. “Next minute it was ‘Holy c***, that’s Michael Douglas!’ All a bit surreal.”

Ross has also got pretty good at spotting the up and coming stars who’ve got the “it” factor.

“I went to see the London stage version of Oklahoma in 1999 because a friend was in it.” he says. “It was brilliant and when I saw her after the show I said ‘The guy who plays the lead has really got the Ready Brek glow.’

“She said ‘Funny you should say that... today he got a call to say Dougray Scott has overrun in a movie and can’t make his role in The X-Men, so my friend’s got it.’ I had to look his name up in the programme, some guy called Hugh Jackman.

“Hugh really is the most wonderful guy to interview - like George Clooney – they’ve paid their dues, both got a bit of a twinkle in the eye and are happy to have a laugh at their own expense.

“Jim Carrey is brilliant too... he lets you get under his skin a bit.”

But does he think it’s harder for up and coming stars today, with 24 hour news channels and everyone using cameras on their iPhones?

“The paparazzi have always been around – but agents could control it better in the past,” he says. “Sometimes you can see the car crash about to happen with young stars and think ‘not again.’ But I’m never surprised.

“People in Hollywood never hear the word ‘No’ and rarely say it.

Ross King LA Correspondent on morning TV show Daybreak, ITV

“A famous friend came over to LA with his elderly English father. We went out shopping and afterwards my mate was saying ‘We really need to go and find a juice shop’.

“I said to his dad ‘I bet you just want a cup of tea, don’t you?’ and he did. So I had to tell my mate ‘Look, there’s a cafe here and we want a cup of tea so you go and find a juice if you want to.’

“All the people who are in a position to say ‘No’ tend to be on the star’s payroll so if they do say it they are out of a job. It is so, so hard.”

Ross was delighted when his own leading lady, Brianna, decided to say Yes when he proposed.

But that was eight years ago, so are they ever going to tie the knot.

“Yes,” says, Ross “and hopefully soon. We haven’t decided where - it might be Scotland, it might be America. I’ve been married before so I think it should all be Brianna’s choice, her day.”

Ross whips out his phone to show me a photo of him and Brianna outside.

“She’s very beautiful and I know I’m punching, well, well above my weight.

“In 2007 I was working on the KTLA TV station and Brianna was doing an internship there. I’d never met her but one day I had this email asking for my advice and offering to take me for lunch.

“I’d just got out of the pool and was in shorts and t-shirt with my hair all dishevelled and when I walked in there was this gorgeous woman. It turned into a very long lunch.

“The age difference has never been an issue. I want to have kids too. I’m not worried about being an older dad.

“I’m a big family man. I still get homesick for my mum and sister back home in Scotland and come back to visit as often as possible.

“But I get up every day and from my house in the hills I look out across the Hollywood sign. It always makes me smile.

“I’m a kid from Knightswood in Glasgow and I’ve made it to Hollywood. It still feels like a bit of a fairy tale.”

* Taking Hollywood by Shari King is out on Thursday (August 14), published by Pan Macmillan £7.99 paperback

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